DOZENS of residents were evacuated from their homes after a fire involving gas cylinders at an industrial estate in Littleham.
More than 50 people from properties within a 200 metre radius of Leese’s Skip Hire, in Pankhurst Close, fled the area following an incident at the commercial building on Saturday morning, June 26.
The fire started at around 10am after part of an oxy acetylene cylinder ignited.
See this week’s Exmouth Journal for the full story and pictures.
Bill Harvison, from Devon and Somerset fire authority, said the situation could have been a lot worse if the cylinder had exploded.
“Nobody was injured thankfully. The right actions were taken by people who work in the building because we got an early call.”
Mr Harvison added: “It is the worst kind of cylinder incident you can have because it is so unstable. “We immediately got water onto it and fought the fire defensively whilst at the same time getting enough resources here to evacuate a 200 metre cordon from the building.”
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